Cork County Council should take it upon themselves to carry out footpath repair works along the N72 near the town park in Fermoy and seek to recoup the cost of the work from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), say frustrated councillors.
As the section of footpath, which has been cordoned off for almost two years due to a partial collapse, is located along the N72, it is the responsibility of the TII, and Cork County Council have be unable to instigate any repairs themselves. However, councillors say the time has now come to act on the barriers and for the footpath to be reopened.
Bringing his concerns over the delay in repairs occurring, Cllr Noel McCarthy told the Northern Committee meeting of Cork County Council this week: “We’re getting calls all the time about it, because it’s so unsightly to see that footpath closed off for the length of time that it is, I think it’s nearly two years now.”
While he complimented Fermoy Municipal District engineer Brendan O’Gorman for keeping onto the TII about it, he said Cork County Council should consider repairing the path themselves without any further delays.
“Can we take it on ourselves and then apply for the money after? We’ve been put on the long finger, this will be there again next year. It might only be a small thing to some people, but I think it has a huge bearing on the town of Fermoy,” he said.
UNSIGHTLY
Supporting the request, Cllr Ian Doyle commented: “We’ve been passing it for the last two years, it just looks terrible and it looks unsightly. Can we look at some way of doing the works and recouping the money afterwards?”
Cllr Frank O’Flynn lent his support to the motion, describing the spot as a popular walking area, as did Cllr June Murphy, who said she has received phone calls from concerned members of the public on the issue.
In response, director of services Tom Stritch said, through the persistence of Mr O’Gorman, the TII have put it on their agenda and have referred it to their bridge section (given that they consider it a structure) within the last six to eight weeks. “Hopefully they will progress it,” he told the meeting.
Not confident that the TII would carry out repair works any time soon, Cllr McCarthy concluded by urging the council to ‘take this work by the scruff of the neck’, adding that another summer cannot pass without the footpath being repaired and reopened.
